Inductively-coupled plasma device

ABSTRACT

A plasma device configured to receive ionizable media is disclosed. The plasma device includes a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The device also includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates. The first pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/606,672 filed on Oct. 27, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to plasma devices and processes for surface processing and material removal or deposition. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for generating and directing plasma-generated species in a plasma device.

2. Background of Related Art

Electrical discharges in dense media, such as liquids and gases at or near atmospheric pressure, can, under appropriate conditions, result in plasma formation. Plasmas have the unique ability to create large amounts of chemical species, such as ions, radicals, electrons, excited-state (e.g., metastable) species, molecular fragments, photons, and the like. The plasma species may be generated in a variety of internal energy states or external kinetic energy distributions by tailoring plasma electron temperature and electron density. In addition, adjusting spatial, temporal and temperature properties of the plasma creates specific changes to the material being irradiated by the plasma species and associated photon fluxes. Plasmas are also capable of generating photons including energetic ultraviolet photons that have sufficient energy to initiate photochemical and photocatalytic reaction paths in biological and other materials that are irradiated by the plasma photons.

SUMMARY

Plasma has broad applicability to provide alternative solutions to industrial, scientific and medical needs, especially workpiece surface processing at low temperature. Plasmas may be delivered to a workpiece, thereby affecting multiple changes in the properties of materials upon which the plasmas impinge. Plasmas have the unique ability to create large fluxes of radiation (e.g., ultraviolet), ions, photons, electrons and other excited-state (e.g., metastable) species which are suitable for performing material property changes with high spatial, material selectivity, and temporal control. The plasma may remove a distinct upper layer of a workpiece but have little or no effect on a separate underlayer of the workpiece or it may be used to selectively remove a particular tissue from a mixed tissue region or selectively remove a tissue with minimal effect to adjacent organs of different tissue type.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure a plasma device configured to receive ionizable media is disclosed. The plasma device includes a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The device also includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates. The first pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure a plasma device configured to receive ionizable media is disclosed. The plasma device includes a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The plasma device also includes a second pair of dielectric substrates coupled to the first pair of dielectric substrates and disposed transversely relative thereto, each of the second pair of dielectric substrates includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The second pair of dielectric substrates is also disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The plasma device further includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates and a second pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the second dielectric substrates. The first and second pairs of spiral coils are configured to couple to the power source and configured to inductively couple to the ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.

According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure a plasma system is disclosed. The plasma system includes a plasma device having a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The device also includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates. The system also includes an ionizable media source coupled to the plasma device and configured to supply ionizable media between the first pair of dielectric substrates and a power source coupled to the first pair of spiral coils. The first pair of spiral coils is configured to inductively couple to the ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and, together with a general description of the disclosure given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a plasma system according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plasma device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional view of the plasma device of FIG. 2 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a plot of a vertical magnetic field intensity generated by the plasma device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plot of a horizontal magnetic field intensity generated by the plasma device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plasma device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a side, cross-sectional view of the plasma device of FIG. 6 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a plot of a horizontal magnetic field intensity generated by the plasma device of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a plasma device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a side, cross-sectional view of the plasma device of FIG. 9 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a plasma device according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a side, cross-sectional view of the plasma device of FIG. 9 according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a plasma device according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 14 is a side, cross-sectional view of the plasma device of FIG. 9 according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Plasmas are generated using electrical energy that is delivered as either direct current (DC) electricity or alternating current (AC) electricity at frequencies from about 0.1 hertz (Hz) to about 100 gigahertz (GHz), including radio frequency (“RF”, from about 0.1 MHz to about 100 MHz) and microwave (“MW”, from about 0.1 GHz to about 100 GHz) bands, using appropriate generators, electrodes, and antennas. Choice of excitation frequency, the workpiece, as well as the electrical circuit that is used to deliver electrical energy to the circuit affects many properties and requirements of the plasma. The performance of the plasma chemical generation, the delivery system and the design of the electrical excitation circuitry are interrelated, i.e., as the choices of operating voltage, frequency and current levels (as well as phase) effect the electron temperature and electron density. Further, choices of electrical excitation and plasma device hardware also determine how a given plasma system responds dynamically to the introduction of new ingredients to the host plasma gas or liquid media. The corresponding dynamic adjustment of the electrical drive, such as dynamic match networks or adjustments to voltage, current, or excitation frequency are required to maintain controlled power transfer from the electrical circuit to the plasma.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a plasma system 10 is disclosed. The system 10 includes an inductively-coupled device 12 that is coupled to a power source 14 and an ionizable media source 16. Power source 14 includes any required components for delivering power or matching impedance to plasma device 12. More particularly, the power source 14 may be any radio frequency generator or other suitable power source capable of producing power to ignite the ionizable media to generate plasma. The plasma device 12 may be utilized as an electrosurgical pencil for application of plasma to tissue and the power source 14 may be an electrosurgical generator that is adapted to supply the device 12 with electrical power at a frequency from about 0.1 MHz to about 1,000 MHz and, in another embodiment, from about 1 MHz to about 13.6 MHz. The plasma may also be ignited by using continuous or pulsed direct current (DC) electrical energy.

Power source 14 includes a signal generator 20 coupled to an amplifier 22. The signal generator 20 outputs a plurality of control signals to the amplifier 22 reflective of the desired waveform. The signal generator 20 allows for control of desired waveform parameters (e.g., frequency, duty cycle, amplitude, etc.). The amplifier 22 outputs the desired waveform at a frequency from about 0.1 MHz to about 1,000 MHz and in another illustrative embodiment from about 1 MHz to about 13.6 MHz. The power source 14 also includes a matching network 24 coupled to the amplifier 22. The matching network 24 may include one or more reactive and/or capacitive components that are configured to match the impedance of the load (e.g., plasma effluent) to the power source 14 by switching the components or by frequency tuning.

The system 10 provides a flow of plasma through the device 12 to a workpiece “W” (e.g., tissue). Plasma feedstocks, which include ionizable media 30 (FIG. 2), are supplied by the ionizable media source 16 to the plasma device 12. During operation, the ionizable media is provided to the plasma device 12 where the plasma feedstocks are ignited to form plasma effluent 32 containing ions, radicals, photons from the specific excited species and metastables that carry internal energy to drive desired chemical reactions in the workpiece “W” or at the surface thereof.

The ionizable media source 16 provides ionizable feedstock to the plasma device 12. The ionizable media source 16 may include a storage tank and a pump (not explicitly shown) that is coupled to the plasma device 12. The ionizable media may be a liquid or a gas such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, radon, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, etc. and their mixtures, and the like, or a liquid. These and other gases may be initially in a liquid form that is gasified during application.

The device 12 is an inductively-coupled plasma device. In one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an inductively-coupled plasma device 42 includes a spiral coil 44 disposed on a dielectric substrate 46. The coil 44 is coupled to the generator 14, which supplies current therethrough thereby generating a magnetic field above the coil 44. The ionizable media 30 is supplied across the coil 44 and is ignited as it passes through the magnetic field.

The coil 44 is of planar spiral coil design having a predetermined diameter “d” and a predetermined number of turns “n.” The coil 44 may be formed from a copper wire of a suitable gauge. The coil 44 may be wound from the center or another location to create disk-like or ring-like structures, respectively. Alternatively, the coil 44 may be an etched copper coil on a printed circuit board.

A single plane configuration (e.g., a single spiral coil 44) generates the plasma plume 30 having a diffuse half-plane field intensity that is proportional to the magnetic field intensity generated by the coil 44 as illustrated by magnetic field intensity plots of FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 illustrates a plot of the magnetic field intensity with respect to the vertical distance from center “c” of the coil 44. The field intensity decreases as a function of the distance from the coil. As a result, the plasma plume is thickest at the center of the single spiral coil and decreases toward the outer edge thereof. FIG. 5 illustrates a plot of the magnetic field intensity with respect to the horizontal distance “x” from the center “c” of the coil 44. Field intensity similarly decreases as a function of the distance from the center of the coil 44. This is due to poor coupling of the coil 44 with the plasma. In one embodiment, the coil 44 may be wound such that the outer rings thereof are spaced more densely than the inner rings. In another embodiment, a solenoid may be used in place of the spiral coil to improve the coupling efficiency, however, the structure of the solenoid prevents access to the inside thereof and to the plasma generated therein.

The present disclosure provides for another embodiment of an inductively-coupled plasma device 50 having two spiral coils 54 and 56 disposed in parallel at a predetermined distance “x” apart as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The plasma device 50 includes a first dielectric substrate 51 and a second dielectric substrate 52. The first and second dielectric substrates 51 and 52 include inner and outer surfaces 55 a, 57 a and 55 b, 57 b, respectively. The plasma device 50 also includes a first spiral coil 54 and a second spiral coil 56 disposed on the inner surfaces 55 a, 55 b of the first and second dielectric substrates 51 and 52, respectively. The coils 54 and 56 are of planar spiral coil design having a predetermined diameter “d” and a predetermined number of turns “n.” The coils 54 and 56 may be formed from a copper wire of a suitable gauge or may be etched on a printed circuit board and suitably arranged in multiple layers. The coils 54 and 56 are wound either from the center or another location to create disk-like (FIGS. 9 and 10) or ring-like structures (FIGS. 6 and 7), respectively.

The dielectric substrates 51 and 52 may be formed from epoxy or any other type of thermosetting dielectric polymer to form a printed circuit board with the coils 54 and 56 being embedded therein (e.g., traced, etched, or printed). The dielectric substrates 51 and 52 are separated by two or more offsets 58 to secure the substrates 51 and 52, such that the spiral coils 54 and 56 are disposed in parallel relative to each other and are set a predetermined distance “x” apart. Each of the dielectric substrates 51 and 52 includes an opening 53 a and 53 b, respectively, defined therethrough.

The plasma feedstocks are fed from one end of the device 50 through the opening 53 a and are ignited as the coils 54 and 56 are energized to form a plasma effluent that is emitted from the opening 53 b of the device 50 onto the workpiece “W.” The field intensity stays relatively constant within the coils 54 and 56. FIG. 8 illustrates a plot of the magnetic field intensity with respect to the distance “x” along the center line “C” of the coils 54 and 56. The linearity and the intensity of magnetic field generated by the coils 54 and 55 do not drop off at the edges of the coils 54 and 55 as dramatically as the magnetic field intensity of the single coil 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The magnetic field, H, may be expressed by a formula (1):

$\begin{matrix} {|H| = {\frac{\pi \cdot n \cdot i}{5 \cdot r_{c}}\left\lbrack {\left\{ {1 + \frac{x^{2}}{r_{c}^{2}}} \right)^{{- 3}\text{/}2} + \left\{ {1 + \left( \frac{r_{c} - x}{r_{c}} \right)^{2}} \right\}^{{- 3}\text{/}2}} \right\rbrack}} & (1) \end{matrix}$

In formula (1), r_(c) is the radius of the coils 54 and 56, x is the distance between coils 54 and 56, and n is the number of turns and i is the coil current. Based on the formula (1), the intensity of the magnetic field, H, and the radius, rc, are inversely proportional. Thus, the intensity may be increased by decreasing the radius of the coils 54 and 56. At the center of the coils 54 and 56, the field is approximated by the formula (2):

$\begin{matrix} {|H| = \frac{\pi \cdot n \cdot i}{5 \cdot r_{c}}} & (2) \end{matrix}$

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, each of the coils 54 and 56 may have a disk-like shape, in which instance the substrates 51 and 52 have a solid surface (e.g., no openings 53 and 53 b) and the ionizable media is fed between and through the substrates 51 and 52.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate another embodiment of an inductively-coupled plasma device 60 having four spiral coils 64, 66, 68 and 70. The plasma device 60 includes a first dielectric substrate 61 and a second dielectric substrate 62. The first and second dielectric substrates 61 and 62 include inner and outer surfaces 85 a, 86 a and 85 b, 86 b, respectively. The plasma device also includes a first spiral coil 64 and a second spiral coil 66 disposed on the inner surfaces 85 a, 86 b of the first and second dielectric substrates 61 and 62, respectively.

The plasma device 60 also includes third and fourth dielectric substrates 63 and 65 disposed transversely between the substrates 61 and 62. The third and fourth dielectric substrates 63 and 65 include inner and outer surfaces 85 c, 86 c and 85 d, 86 d, respectively. The plasma device also includes a third spiral coil 68 and a fourth spiral coil 70 disposed on the inner surfaces 85 c, 86 d of the third and fourth dielectric substrates 63 and 65, respectively.

The coils 64, 66, 68 and 70 are of planar spiral coil design having a predetermined diameter “d” and a predetermined number of turns “n.” The coils 64, 66, 68 and 70 may be formed from a copper wire of a suitable gauge or may be etched copper coils on a printed circuit board suitably arranged in multiple layers. The coils 64, 66, 68 and 70 may be wound from the center or another location to create disk-like (FIGS. 13 and 14) or ring-like structures (FIGS. 11 and 12), respectively.

The dielectric substrates 61, 62, 63, 65 may be formed from epoxy or any other type of thermosetting dielectric polymer to form a printed circuit board with the coils 64, 66, 68, 70 being embedded therein (e.g., traced). The dielectric substrates 61 and 62 are separated by two or more offsets (not shown) that secure the substrates 61 and 62, such that the spiral coils 64 and 66 are disposed in parallel and are set apart by the predetermined distance “x.” The substrates 63 and 65 are also disposed in parallel with respect to each other. The substrates 63 and 65 are transversely secured within the substrates 61 and 62. The configuration of the substrates 61, 62, 63, 65 arranges the coils 64, 66, 68, 70 in a four-walled chamber 74. Each of the dielectric substrates 61 and 62 includes an opening 73 a and 73 b, respectively, defined therethrough.

The ionizable media 30 is fed from the opening 73 a end of the device 60 and is ignited as the coils 64, 66, 68, 70 are energized to form the plasma effluent 32 (e.g., point-source or ball plasma), which is emitted from the opening 73 b of the device 60 onto the workpiece “W.” The field intensity stays relatively constant within the coils 64 and 66 and the surface of the coils 68 and 70. Transverse arrangement of the coils 64, 66 and 68, 70 allows for three-dimensional control of the plasma effluent 32.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, each of the coils 68 and 70 may have a disk-like shape, and the ionizable media is fed between and through the openings 73 a and 73 b as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

Although the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A plasma device configured to receive ionizable media, comprising: a first pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and defining a first opening therethrough; and a first pair of dielectric substrates having the first pair of spiral coils disposed thereon, each of the first pair of dielectric substrates including a second opening extending through each of the first pair of dielectric substrates, wherein the first pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed through the first openings and the second openings to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.
 2. The plasma device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of offsets disposed between the first pair of dielectric substrates.
 3. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein each of the dielectric substrates of the first pair of dielectric substrates is formed from a thermosetting dielectric polymer.
 4. The plasma device according to claim 1, wherein each of the spiral coils of the first pair of spiral coils is traced on the corresponding dielectric substrate.
 5. The plasma device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and transverse relation relative to the first pair of spiral coils, wherein the second pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to the power source and configured to inductively couple to the ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form the plasma effluent.
 6. The plasma device according to claim 5, wherein each of the second pair of spiral coils is formed from a wire to form a disk-like structure.
 7. The plasma device according to claim 5, wherein each of the second pair of spiral coils is formed from a wire to form a ring-like structure.
 8. The plasma device according to claim 5, further comprising a second pair of dielectric substrates coupled to the first pair of dielectric substrates and disposed transversely relative thereto, each of the second pair of dielectric substrates comprises one of the second pair of spiral coils.
 9. A plasma device configured to receive ionizable media, comprising: a first pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and defining a first opening therethrough; and a second pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and transverse relation relative to the first pair of spiral coils, wherein the first and second pairs of spiral coils are configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed through the first opening to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent.
 10. The plasma device according to claim 9, wherein each of the second pair of spiral coils is formed from a wire to form a disk-like structure.
 11. The plasma device according to claim 9, wherein each of the second pair of spiral coils is formed from a wire to form a ring-like structure.
 12. The plasma device according to claim 9, further comprising a first pair of dielectric substrates each of which comprises one of the first pair of spiral coils.
 13. The plasma device according to claim 12, wherein the first pair of dielectric substrates defines a second opening that is substantially aligned with the first opening.
 14. The plasma device according to claim 12, further comprising: a second pair of dielectric substrates coupled to the first pair of dielectric substrates and disposed transversely relative thereto, each of the second pair of dielectric substrates comprises one of the second pair of spiral coils.
 15. The plasma device according to claim 14, wherein each of the dielectric substrates of the first and second pairs of dielectric substrates is formed from a thermosetting dielectric polymer.
 16. A plasma system, comprising: a plasma device including: a first pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and defining a first opening therethrough; a first pair of dielectric substrates each of which includes one of the spiral coils of the first pair of spiral coils and defines a second opening that is substantially aligned with the first opening; a second pair of spiral coils disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another and transverse relation relative to the first pair of spiral coils; and a second pair of dielectric substrates coupled to the first pair of dielectric substrates and disposed transversely relative thereto, each of the second pair of dielectric substrates includes one of the spiral coils of the second pair of spiral coils; an ionizable media source coupled to the plasma device and configured to supply ionizable media between the first pair of spiral coils and the second pair of spiral coils; and a power source coupled to the first pair of spiral coils and the second pair of spiral coils, wherein the first pair of spiral coils and the second pair of spiral coils are configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed through the first openings to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent. 